bruce springsteen tour kansas city 2022

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band bring tour to Kansas City on Feb. 18, 2023

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band fans in the Kansas City area don't need to keep "Waitin' on a Sunny Day." The Boss will bring his 2023 United States tour to KC on Feb. 18.

This is the first time Springsteen and the band have been on tour since 2017, and the first time in North America since 2016.

Springsteen released the full 2023 U.S. tour schedule on Twitter.

2023 US Tour Dates Announced! For complete on-sale details and information on how to register for @ticketmaster Verified Fan, visit https://t.co/YahXTKffvV . pic.twitter.com/CgUpOUftho — Bruce Springsteen (@springsteen) July 12, 2022

Ticket registration closes July 17 at 11:59 p.m. through Ticketmaster . Additional details on next steps will be provided after registering.

Following the U.S. tour, Springsteen will head to Europe.

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Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band Announce 2023 United States Tour Dates with Stop At T-Mobile Center

July 12 , 2022

Kansas City, Mo. (July 12, 2022) – Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band will kick off their 2023 international tour with 31 performances across the United States. The shows will mark Springsteen and The E Street Band's first tour dates since February 2017, and their first in North America since September 2016. The tour will visit T-Mobile Center on Saturday, Feb. 18.

European dates for the 2023 international tour were announced in May and over 1.2 million tickets have already been purchased across the continent, with many cities adding second or third stadium shows due to popular demand. At the conclusion of their European run, which is scheduled for April through July 2023, Springsteen and The E Street Band will begin a second to-be-announced North American tour leg in August. Tour dates in the UK will also take place next year, with cities and shows to be announced very soon.

The tour will be using Ticketmaster's Verified Fan platform for tickets sold via Ticketmaster including stop at T-Mobile Center. All registrants who are verified will be equally eligible to receive a unique access code for the Verified Fan Onsale. Registering does not guarantee you will receive a code or have the ability to purchase tickets.

The Verified Fan Onsale will take place on Wednesday, July 27 between 10am and 2pm local time for the stop at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. If tickets remain, a general onsale for all fans begins the same day at 3pm local time with no code required.

To register for the Ticketmaster Verified Fan Onsale, visit https://verifiedfan.ticketmaster.com/springsteen.

Springsteen and The E Street Band's most recent studio album, 2020's 'Letter To You' (Columbia Records), marked their first time recording live together in decades and debuted at #1 in eleven countries. Their most recent tour, The River Tour in 2016-2017, was named 2016’s top global tour by both Billboard and Pollstar.

The E Street Band's members are: Roy Bittan - piano, synthesizer; Nils Lofgren - guitar, vocals; Patti Scialfa - guitar, vocals; Garry Tallent - bass guitar; Stevie Van Zandt - guitar, vocals; and Max Weinberg - drums; with Soozie Tyrell - violin, guitar, vocals; Jake Clemons - saxophone; and Charlie Giordano - keyboards.

For more information about Bruce Springsteen and other upcoming events at T-Mobile Center visit here .

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band in Kansas City

Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, MO, on February 18, 2023.

The tour will be using Ticketmaster's Verified Fan platform for tickets sold via Ticketmaster. Fans can register for Ticketmaster Verified Fan starting now through Sunday, July 17 for the chance to buy tickets. All registrants who are verified will be equally eligible to receive a unique access code for the Verified Fan Onsale. Registering does not guarantee you will receive a code, or have the ability to purchase tickets.

Tickets for the show will go on sale via Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan platform beginning on Wednesday, July 27 at 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. If tickets remain, a general onsale for all fans begins the same day at 3 p.m. with no code required.

To register for the Ticketmaster Verified Fan Onsale, visit https://verifiedfan.ticketmaster.com/springsteen

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Published: 2022/07/12

Bruce Springsteen Announces Extensive U.S. Tour With The E Street Band

Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band have shared an extensive list of U.S. tour dates. The 31-stop run will begin on Feb. 1 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla. The newly announced concerts mark the first in six years for the ensemble. 

Following The Sunshine State tour opener, The Boss will remain in the Southern region of the United States for the first half of his February dates. Then, he’ll head to the West Coast for a stop at Portland, Ore.’s Moda Center, on Feb. 25.

Springsteen will trek up to Seattle to play at the Climate Pledge Arena on Feb. 27, prior to a few Midwest dates set to take place in Denver, St. Paul, Minn., and Milwaukee, Wis., at the beginning of March. Then, on March 9, they’ll play at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, before making their way to Uncasville, Conn., on March 12 for a one-night stand at the Mohegan Sun.

The tour will continue in New York’s state capitol on March 14, when Springsteen and The E Street Band take the stage at MVP Arena. From there, they’ll play two gigs in Pennsylvania before a March 20 concert at Boston’s TD Garden.

Next, the rock and rollers will head to Buffalo, N.Y.’s KeyBank Center on March 23; two days later, they’ll arrive in Greensboro, N.C., for a show. The remaining dates of the band’s forthcoming U.S. tour will take place on the East Coast and include a night at New York’s Madison Square Garden and a two-night stand at UBS Arena in Belmont Park, N.Y. 

Springsteen will conclude his tour on April 14, when the New Jersey native performs at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Furthermore, Springsteen and The E Street Band will spend the summer touring Europe after the compilation of their newly announced U.S. tour. Read about the European tour here .

Tickets for the U.S. tour will go on sale via Ticketmaster. Pre-registration has begun and will continue through July 17. If tickets remain, general on-sale will start on the same day, at 3 p.m. local time. 

Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band 2023 U.S. Tour Dates: 

Feb. 1 – Amalie Arena – Tampa, Fla.

Feb. 3 – State Farm Arena – Atlanta

Feb. 5 – Amway Center – Orlando, Fla. 

Feb. 7 – Hard Rock Live – Hollywood, Fla. 

Feb. 10 – American Airlines Center – Dallas

Feb. 14 – Toyota Center – Houston

Feb. 16 – Moody Center – Austin

Feb. 18 – T-Mobile Center – Kansas City, Mo. 

Feb. 21 – BOK Center – Tulsa, Okla. 

Feb. 25 – Moda Center – Portland, Ore. 

Feb. 27 – Climate Pledge Arena – Seattle

March 2 – Ball Arena – Denver

March 5 – Xcel Energy Center – St. Paul, Minn.

March 7 – Fiserv Forum – Milwaukee, Wis. 

March 9 – Nationwide Arena – Columbus, Ohio 

March 12 – Mohegan Sun – Uncasville, Conn. 

March 14 – MVP Arena – Albany, N.Y.

March 16 – Wells Fargo Center – Philadelphia

March 18 – Bryce Jordan Center – State College, Pa. 

March 20 – TD Garden – Boston 

March 23 – KeyBank Center – Buffalo, N.Y. 

March 25 – Greensboro Coliseum – Greensboro, N.C. 

March 27 – Capital One Arena – Washington, D.C. 

March 29 – Little Caesars Arena – Detroit

April 1 – Madison Square Garden – New York

April 3 – Barclays Center – Brooklyn, N.Y. 

April 5 – Rocket Morgage FieldHouse – Cleveland 

April 7 – Baltimore Arena – Baltimore

April 9 – UBS Arena – Belmont Park, N.Y.

April 11 – UBS Arena – Belmont Park, N.Y.

April 14 –  Prudential Center – Newark, N.J.

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He fills up arena after arena, year after year, and now, a legendary recording artist is planning a stop on tour in Kansas City.

Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band announced a stop at Kansas City, Missouri's, T-Mobile Center as part of the upcoming 2023 international tour.

So far 31 performances are scheduled across the United States.

This tour marks Springsteen and The E Street Band's first tour dates since February 2017, and the first time in North America since September 2016.

The stop in Kansas City is set for Saturday, Feb. 18.

For tickets, you can register for Ticketmaster's Verified Fan Presale Access through Sunday, July 17.

Tickets are expected to be in high demand, not everyone registering for the presale is guaranteed a seat. After registering, fans will receive a confirmation email with details on what happens next. Tickets then go on sale through Ticketmaster on Tuesday, July 26.

Click here for more information.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band announces 31-date US tour

The Boss lines up his first full-band American tour with the E Street Band since 2016

Bruce Springsteen has announced details of a 31-date North American tour with the E Street Band for early 2023, his first full-band tour on home soil since 2016.

The tour will launch on February 1, 2023 in Tampa, Florida and run through to April 14, when he will close out the trek in Newark, in his home state of New Jersey. In May, The Boss announced a string of European stadium shows for Spring 2023 , though no UK dates have yet been announced.

"After six years, I’m looking forward to seeing our great and loyal fans next year," Springsteen said when announcing his European shows. "And I’m looking forward to once again sharing the stage with the legendary E Street Band. See you out there, next year – and beyond."} The US dates will be the first for the E Street Band since the 14-month tour celebrating 1980 album  The River  concluded in Australia in February 2017. The band's touring line-up will include longstanding members Roy Bittan, Nils Lofgren, Patti Scialfa, Garry Tallent, Max Weinberg and Stevie Van Zandt, alongside Soozie Tyrell, Jake Clemons and Charlie Giordano.

The US tour runs as follows:

Feb 01: Tampa Amalie Arena, FL Feb 03: Atlanta State Farm Arena, GA Feb 05: Orlando Amway Center, FL Feb 07: Hollywood Hard Rock Live, FL Feb 10: Dallas American Airlines Center, TX Feb 14: Houston Toyota Center, TX Feb 16: Austin Moody Center, TX Feb 18: Kansas City T-Mobile Center, MO Feb 21: Tulsa BOK Center, OK Feb 25: Portland Moda Center, OR Feb 27: Seattle Climate Pledge Arena, WA Mar 02 Denver Ball Arena, CO Mar 05 St. Paul Xcel Energy Center, MN Mar 07: Milwaukee Fiserv Forum, WI Mar 09: Columbus Nationwide Arena, OH Mar 12: Uncasville Mohegan Sun, CT Mar 14: Albany MVP Arena, NY Mar 16: Philadelphia Wells Fargo Center, PA Mar 18: State College Bryce Jordan Center, PA Mar 20: Boston TD Garden, MA Mar 23: Buffalo KeyBank Center, NY Mar 25: Greensboro Greensboro Coliseum, NC Mar 27: Washington D.C. Capital One Arena Mar 29: Detroit Little Caesars Arena, MI Apr 01: New York Madison Square Garden, NY Apr 03: Brooklyn Barclays Center, NY Apr 05: Cleveland Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, OH Apr 07: Baltimore Arena, MD Apr 09: Belmont Park UBS Arena, NY Apr 11: Belmont Park UBS Arena, NY Apr 14 Newark Prudential Center, NJ

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A music writer since 1993, formerly Editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock magazine (RIP), Paul Brannigan is a Contributing Editor to Louder. Having previously written books on Lemmy, Dave Grohl (the Sunday Times best-seller This Is A Call) and Metallica ( Birth School Metallica Death , co-authored with Ian Winwood), his Eddie Van Halen biography ( Eruption in the UK, Unchained in the US) emerged in 2021. He has written for Rolling Stone, Mojo and Q, hung out with Fugazi at Dischord House, flown on Ozzy Osbourne's private jet, played Angus Young's Gibson SG, and interviewed everyone from Aerosmith and Beastie Boys to Young Gods and ZZ Top. Born in the North of Ireland, Brannigan lives in North London and supports The Arsenal.

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Bruce Springsteen Announces US Tour with The E Street Band

The band's first American outing in six years

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band are set to embark on their first tour in six years. Today, they’ve announced a run of concerts taking place in the US between February and April 2023.

The tour launches on February 1st in Tampa, Florida and hits cities like Atlanta, Orlando, Dallas, and Austin, Portland, and Seattle through the end of the month. Following a string of shows in the midwest in early March, Springsteen and co. will play a number of gigs along the east coast — including Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, Barclays Center in Brooklyn, and UBS Arena on Long Island. Appropriately, the leg concludes with a date in Springsteen’s native New Jersey on April 14th. Afterwards, Springsteen and the E Street Band will spend the summer touring Europe . Details on a second North American leg taking place in August, as well as shows in the UK will be announced shortly.

Tickets to Springsteen’s US shows go on sale between Wednesday, July 20th and Friday, July 29th via Ticketmaster . You can find specific on-sale dates and ticket links below.

Select shows will utilize Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan platform , which requires fans to pre-register in order to purchase tickets. A pre-registration is now ongoing through Sunday, July 17th. For shows utilizing Verified Fan, the Verified Fan Onsale will take place between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. local time. If tickets remain, a general on-sale for all fans begins the same day at 3:00 p.m. local time with no code required.

You can also find more information on how to purchase tickets here .

Bruce Springsteen 2023 Tour Dates: 02/01 – Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena ( Tix ) – Wed, July 20th 02/03 – Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena ( Tix ) – Wed, July 27th 02/05 – Orlando, FL @ Amway Center ( Tix ) – Wed, July 20th 02/07 – Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Live ( Tix ) – Wed, July 20th 02/10 – Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center ( Tix ) – Fri, July 22nd 02/14 – Houston, TX @ Toyota Center ( Tix ) – Fri, July 22nd 02/16 – Austin, TX @ Moody Center ( Tix ) – Fri, July 22nd 02/18 – Kansas City, MO @ T-Mobile Center ( Tix ) – Wed, July 27th 02/21 – Tulsa, OK @ BOK Center ( Tix ) – Wed, July 20th 02/25 – Portland, OR @ Moda Center ( Tix ) – Fri, July 22nd 02/27 – Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena ( Tix ) – Wed, July 27th 03/02 – Denver, CO @ Ball Arena ( Tix ) – Wed, July 20th 03/05 – Saint Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center ( Tix ) – Thu, July 21st 03/07 – Milwaukee, WI @ Fiserv Forum ( Tix ) – Wed, July 27th 03/09 – Columbus, OH @ Nationwide Arena ( Tix ) – Wed, July 27th 03/12 – Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun ( Tix ) – Fri, July 22nd 03/14 – Albany, NY @ MVP Arena ( Tix ) – Fri, July 22nd 03/16 – Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center ( Tix ) – Tue, July 26th 03/18 – State College, PA @ Bryce Jordan Center ( Tix ) – Tue, July 26th 03/20 – Boston, MA @ TD Garden ( Tix ) – Wed, July 20th 03/23 – Buffalo, NY @ KeyBank Center ( Tix ) – Wed, July 27th 03/25 – Greensboro, NC @ Greensboro Coliseum ( Tix ) – Fri, July 22nd 03/27 – Washington, DC @ Capital One Arena ( Tix ) – Tue, July 26th 03/29 – Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena ( Tix ) – Wed, July 27th 04/01 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden ( Tix ) – Fri, July 29th 04/03 – Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center ( Tix ) – Fri, July 29th 04/05 – Cleveland, OH @ Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse ( Tix ) – Wed, July 27th 04/07 – Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Arena ( Tix ) – Tue, July 26th 04/09 – Elmont, NY @ UBS Arena ( Tix ) – Fri, July 29th 04/11 – Elmont, NY @ UBS Arena ( Tix ) – Fri, July 29th 04/14 – Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center ( Tix ) – Fri, July 29th 04/28 – Barcelona, ES @ Estadi Olímpic ( Tix ) 04/30 – Barcelona, ES @ Estadi Olímpic ( Tix ) 05/05 – Dublin, IE @ RDS Arena ( Tix ) 05/07 – Dublin, IE @ RDS Arena ( Tix ) 05/09 – Dublin, IE @ RDS Arena ( Tix ) 05/13 – Paris, FR @ La Défense Arena ( Tix ) 05/15 – Paris, FR @ La Défense Arena ( Tix ) 05/18 – Ferrara, IT @ Parco Urbano G. Bassani ( Tix ) 05/21 – Rome, IT @ Circo Massimo ( Tix ) 05/25 – Amsterdam, NL @ Johan Cruijff ArenA ( Tix ) 05/27 – Amsterdam, NL @ Johan Cruijff ArenA ( Tix ) 06/11 – Landgraaf, NL @ Megaland ( Tix ) 06/13 – Zurich, CH @ Stadion Letzigrund ( Tix ) 06/21 – Düsseldorf, DE @ Merkur Spiel Arena ( Tix ) 06/24 –  Gothenburg, SE @ Ullevi ( Tix ) 06/26 – Gothenburg, SE @ Ullevi ( Tix ) 06/28 – Gothenburg, SE @ Ullevi ( Tix ) 06/30 – Oslo, NO @ Voldsløkka ( Tix ) 07/02 – Oslo, NO @ Voldsløkka ( Tix ) 07/11 – Copenhagen, DK @ Parken ( Tix ) 07/13 – Copenhagen, DK @ Parken ( Tix ) 07/15 – Hamburg, DE @ Volksparkstadion ( Tix ) 07/18 – Vienna, AT @ Ernst Happel Stadion ( Tix ) 07/21 – Hockenheim, DE @ Hockenheimring 07/23 – Munich, DE @ Olympiastadion ( Tix ) 07/25 – Monza, IT @ Prato della Gerascia, Autodromo di Monza ( Tix )

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Video Post: Bruce Springsteen, Kansas City 2/18/23

Jake Clemons was still out with Covid, and the setlist only consisted of 25 songs verses the 27 or 28 we've seen most nights. The show was 2 hours and 45 minutes long which is not the shortest show of this tour. The shortest was Orlando, clocking in at 2 hours 40 minutes with 27 songs.

No Surrender

Prove It All Night

Letter to You

The Promised Land

Out in the Street

Candy's Room

Kitty's Back

The E Street Shuffle

Last Man Standing (solo acoustic)

Backstreets

Because the Night

She's the One

Wrecking Ball

Thunder Road

Born to Run

Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)

Dancing in the Dark

Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out

I'll See You in My Dreams (solo acoustic)

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Bruce Springsteen Plots 2022 Tour, Collaborations With John Mellencamp, the Killers

By Andy Greene

Andy Greene

Tickets for the revival of Bruce Springsteen ‘s Tony Award-winning Broadway show went on sale Thursday, and the singer called into Sirius XM’s E Street Radio to talk about his return to the stage, his 2022 tour plans, and upcoming collaborations with John Mellencamp and the Killers . He also dropped hints about unreleased material that may be coming soon.

As he told hosts Jim Rotolo and Dave Marsh, the idea of reviving Springsteen on Broadway came together very organically. “I knew we were going to tour with the band next year,” he said, casually confirming a much-anticipated E Street Band tour, “so I said [to manager Jon Landau], ‘Maybe I’ll take the time off.’ [But] I had a friend who got so enthusiastic about it to me that he talked me into it sitting on my couch one night. The next day I said, ‘OK, we’ll do some shows.’ It really came around kind of casually. It will be just nice to be back there again [and] lend a hand.”

Springsteen on Broadway was staged 236 times between October 2017 and December 2018. And even though it’s moving from the tiny Walter Kerr Theater to the much larger St. James Theater, the script will likely stay the same. “I am going to start freshening up the script and going through it again and see if I am going to make some small changes or not,” he said. “It’s pretty much going to be the same show that it was because I think it’s what people expect and that is what I have.”

“There will be some small [changes], but I don’t think too much,” he continued. “I would like to tighten it up a bit if anything. I would like to get it a little closer to what it was when I initially debuted it on Broadway than toward the end a little bit.”

The 2022 E Street Band tour was only mentioned in passing, but he did confirm reports that he recently spent time in Indiana with John Mellencamp. “I worked on three songs on John’s album and I spent some time in Indiana with him,” he said. “I love John a lot. He’s a great songwriter and I have become very close [with him] and had a lot of fun with him. I sang a little bit on his record.”

There’s also an upcoming collaboration with the Killers in the works, who have long cited Springsteen as one of their favorite artists. “It’s [Brandon Flowers] and I with the band, we have done something that is going to come out soon, in a week or so,” he said. “I’ve been staying busy.”

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Springsteen was less specific when it came to plans for his own releases, but he did say that “fans will have fun” with unreleased archival material he plans on releasing this year. “There are various things we are working on,” he said. “We have something that is going to come out in the fall. I have got projects I have been working on… We worked on a lot of things from the vault. I will let it be a surprise.”

If all of that isn’t enough, Springsteen spoke last month about another upcoming album when he received the Woody Guthrie Prize. “California was an enormous influence on some of my most topical writing through my Nineties, 2000s and even now,” he said. “We have a record coming out soon that’s set largely in the West.”

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Bruce Springsteen Concert Setlists & Tour Dates

Springsteen & e street band 2024 world tour, bruce springsteen, upcoming shows.

• Date and Venue Doors Scheduled
• Jun 12 2024 Estadio Metropolitano Madrid, Spain Add time Add time Add times
• Jun 14 2024 Estadio Metropolitano Madrid, Spain Add time  –  Scheduled: 9:00 PM Add time Add times 9:00 PM
• Jun 17 2024 Estadio Metropolitano Madrid, Spain Add time Add time Add times
• Jun 20 2024 Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys Barcelona, Spain Add time Add time Add times
• Jun 22 2024 Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys Barcelona, Spain Add time Add time Add times
• Jun 27 2024 Goffertpark Nijmegen, Netherlands  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Jun 29 2024 Goffertpark Nijmegen, Netherlands  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Jul 02 2024 Festivalpark Werchter, Belgium  –  Find tickets Doors 3:00 PM  –  Scheduled: 8:00 PM Tickets 3:00 PM 8:00 PM
• Jul 05 2024 Heinz von Heiden Arena Hanover, Germany  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Jul 09 2024 Dyrskuepladsen Odense, Denmark  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Jul 12 2024 Olympiastadion Helsinki, Finland Doors 5:00 PM  –  Start time: 7:03 PM (Est.) 5:00 PM 7:03 PM Estimated
• Jul 15 2024 Friends Arena Solna, Sweden  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Jul 18 2024 Friends Arena Solna, Sweden  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Jul 21 2024 Dokken Bergen, Norway Add time Add time Add times
• Jul 25 2024 Wembley Stadium London, England Add time Add time Add times
• Jul 27 2024 Wembley Stadium London, England Doors 7:00 PM  –  Start time: 9:03 PM (Est.) 7:00 PM 9:03 PM Estimated
• Aug 15 2024 PPG Paints Arena Pittsburgh, PA, USA  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Aug 18 2024 PPG Paints Arena Pittsburgh, PA, USA  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Aug 21 2024 Citizens Bank Park Philadelphia, PA, USA  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Aug 23 2024 Citizens Bank Park Philadelphia, PA, USA  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Sep 07 2024 Nationals Park Washington, DC, USA  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Sep 13 2024 Oriole Park at Camden Yards Baltimore, MD, USA  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Sep 15 2024 Sea.Hear.Now Festival 2024 Asbury Park, NJ, USA Add time Add time Add times
• Oct 31 2024 Centre Bell Montreal, QC, Canada  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
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Bruce Springsteen at Grosvenor House Hotel, London, England

• Thunder Road
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Bruce Springsteen at Stadium of Light, Sunderland, England

• Waitin' on a Sunny Day
• Lonesome Day
• Prove It All Night
• No Surrender
• Letter to You
• The Promised Land
• Hungry Heart
• Light of Day
• Atlantic City
• Darlington County

Bruce Springsteen at Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland

• Reason to Believe
• Spirit in the Night
• My Hometown

Bruce Springsteen at Pairc Ui Chaoimh, Cork, Ireland

• Who'll Stop the Rain
• Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town

Bruce Springsteen at Nowlan Park, Kilkenny, Ireland

• This Hard Land
• A Rainy Night in Soho
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• Adam Raised a Cain
• If I Was the Priest

Bruce Springsteen at Boucher Road Playing Fields, Belfast, Northern Ireland

• Better Days
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• Last Man Standing

Bruce Springsteen at Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales

• So Young and in Love

Bruce Springsteen at American Music Honors 2024

• Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out

Bruce Springsteen at Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH, USA

• Streets of Fire
• I'm Goin' Down

Bruce Springsteen at JMA Wireless Dome, Syracuse, NY, USA

• Growin' Up

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22,568 people have seen Bruce Springsteen live.

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How Bruce Springsteen's 'Born In The U.S.A.' Changed Rock History — And The Boss' Own Trajectory

On the 40th anniversary of Bruce Springsteen's seminal album detailing working class life Reagan era America, reflect on the many ways 'Born In The U.S.A.' impacted pop and rock music.

Bruce Springsteen himself might not be particularly enthusiastic about his seventh studio effort, Born In The U.S.A. ("a group of songs about which I've always had some ambivalence " ). But for the record buyers of 1984 – and indeed much of the decade thereafter – it was a towering achievement in combining classic and contemporary American rock.   

Born In The U.S.A. was co-produced with Jon Landau , Chuck Plotkin , and E Street Band member Steven Van Zandt , and represented a complete divergence from his previous release, the acoustic affair Nebraska . Audiences didn't seem to mind the change in tone: The 12-track LP spent seven weeks atop the Billboard 200 and sold more than 17 million copies in America alone.  

It also equaled the record set by Michael Jackson 's Thriller by spawning seven consecutive U.S. Top 10 hits, including the oft-misunderstood title track, "I'm On Fire," and his highest-charting, "Dancing in the Dark." (The latter netted The Boss his first GRAMMY Award, for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male.) Born 's themes of working-class life in the Ronald Reagan era struck a chord with homegrown audiences, albeit occasionally for unintended reasons , and picked up a coveted Album Of The Year nod at the 1985 GRAMMYs.  

But there's more to Born In The U.S.A. 's story than blockbuster sales and critical acclaim. It also changed the course of rock music in several ways, whether reigniting America's love of the genre, proving that synths and guitars could work together in perfect harmony, or simply popularizing a new way to hear it. Ahead of its 40th anniversary, here's a look at why the record fully deserves its status as an all-time great.    

It Revolutionized The Sound Of Heartland Rock

Already hailed as a progenitor of the blue-collar, rootsy sound known as heartland rock, Springsteen once again proved to be something of a revolutionary when he added synths into the mix. Born In The U.S.A. continually puts pianist Roy Bittan 's skills to great use — whether he's echoing the whistle that haunts the narrator of "Downbound Train," giving "I'm On Fire" its ethereal sheen, or imbuing "Dancing In The Dark" with a glowing warmth.    

Born In The U.S.A. helped codify synths as a key component of the decade's rock sound. Within a few years, most of The Boss' peers had enjoyed synth-based success: Don Henley with Building the Perfect Beast , Tom Petty with Southern Accents , as well as Robbie Robertson 's self-titled debut. Even The Boss' hero, Bob Dylan , went electric again on Empire Burlesque . And you can hear its modern-day influence in the likes of the Killers , Kurt Vile, and, most notably, proud Springsteen acolytes The War on Drugs .    

It Bid Farewell To Rock's Most Iconic Backing Band   

With their uncanny ability to capture and expand upon his musical vision, The E Street Band have been as integral to Springsteen's success as The Boss himself. The likes of bassist Garry Tallent , saxophonist Clarence Clemons , and drummer Max Weinberg were responsible for the Wall of Sound that enveloped 1975 breakthrough Born to Run , while 1980's The River was a concerted attempt to replicate their prowess on the stage in the studio.    

But while they provided occasional backing on 1987 follow-up Tunnel of Love , Born In The U.S.A. was the last time Springsteen fully utilized their talents until 2002's return-to-form The Rising . It also proved to be a proper farewell to Van Zandt, who left the set-up halfway through recording to pursue a solo career. The constant whoops and cheers, however, suggests that all parties were determined to end things on a celebratory note.    

It Turned Springsteen Into An MTV Icon   

Springsteen had only previously released one music video, and he didn't even make an appearance, with 1982's "Atlantic City" consisting solely of austere images of the titular location. But keen to show off the muscular physique he'd developed during the following two years, The Boss made five videos for Born In The U.S.A. , and bagged some impressive names to help him land that all-important MTV play.   

Scarface director Brian De Palma helmed its most famous, the "Dancing in the Dark" promo in which Springsteen plucked a then-unknown Courteney Cox from the crowd. Indie favorite John Sayles pulled triple duty, directing the performance-based video for the title track and developing the narrative treatments for "I'm On Fire" (Springsteen plays car mechanic tempted by affair with married customer) and "Glory Days" (Springsteen bonds with son via baseball). Boasting footage from the Born In The U.S.A. tour, "My Hometown" rounded off the whole audio-visual campaign which was twice recognized at the VMAs.

It Kickstarted A CD Revolution

Although compact discs had been around for several years, Born In The U.S.A. was — fittingly, considering its title and blue collar themes — the first to be manufactured in America . Within just a few years, the homegrown CD market had skyrocketed from virtually zero to more than $930 million . And with at least 17 million copies sold domestically overall, it seems reasonable to suggest that Springsteen's seventh LP was responsible for a significant percentage.    

No doubt that its iconic front cover — shot by celebrated photographer Annie Leibovitz — helped the album stand in record stores. Shot from behind with Springsteen clad in denim, posing in front of the Stars and Stripes, Born In The U.S.A. provided audiences with one of the decade's most recognizable images. Explaining the creative decision to ignore his Hollywood action hero looks, The Boss told Rolling Stone , "The picture of my ass looked better than the picture of my face."   

It Spawned A Game-Changing Tour    

If you need any proof of how stratospheric Born In The U.S.A. sent Springsteen's career, just look at its accompanying tour. With 156 dates across North America, Asia, Europe, and Australia, the tour raked in approximately $90 million . (It remained the decade's highest-grossing rock tour until Pink Floyd 's A Momentary Lapse of Reason concluded four years later.)   

Springsteen's success also appeared to convince David Bowie and Tina Turner that solo artists could handle a stadium crowd as well as any band.    

The Born In The U.S.A. trek was monumental for several other reasons: it was the first to feature new E Street Band member Nils Lofgren and Springsteen's future wife Patti Scialfa . It established his long-running love affair with the now-demolished Giants Stadium , a New Jersey venue returned to 23 times. The tour formed more than half of Springsteen's Live: 1975-85 album that topped the Billboard 200 for four weeks in 1986. Until Garth Brooks ' Double Live 12 years later, Live: 1975-85 the highest-selling live album ever.   

It Celebrated Male Friendship    

Springsteen has never been afraid to be vulnerable when it comes to an area most rock musicians seem afraid to address: the importance of male friendship. "Ghosts," for example, is a heartfelt dedication to all the bandmates he'd lost over the years, while "This Hard Land" is a tale of brotherhood inspired by his love of western maestro John Ford. But it was on Born In The U.S.A. where The Boss first showed that songs about entirely platonic love can be as emotively powerful as the more romantic side.    

Indeed, the ambiguous gender on "Bobby Jean" has led many to believe the concert staple is a testament to his relationship with Van Zandt. And "No Surrender" appears to revel in the camaraderie they shared back in their younger days. Foo Fighters ("The Glass"), the Walkmen ("Heaven"), and Death Cab for Cutie ("Wheat Like Waves") have all since followed Springsteen's lead by opening up about their all-male bonds.    

It Ushered In A Wave of Presidential Appropriation    

It's not something that Springsteen will be shouting from the rooftops about. But Born In The U.S.A. — specifically its famously misunderstood title track — essentially ushered in the trend of presidential candidates co-opting chart hits regardless of the artist's political leanings. Indeed, long before the likes of George W. Bush vs. Sting , Sarah Palin vs. Gretchen Peters , and Donald Trump vs. Neil Young and John Fogerty ( among many others ), The Boss took umbrage with Ronald Reagan's plans to use "Born In The USA" for his 1984 reelection campaign.   

Despite Springsteen's flat-out refusal, he was still celebrated by Reagan in a stump speech, declaring that America's future "rests in the message of hope in the songs of a man so many young Americans admire: New Jersey's own Bruce Springsteen." And both Pat Buchanan and Bob Dole, also seemingly mistaking its rally cry against the treatment of Vietnam War veterans for a patriotic anthem, cheekily used the track before its writer got wind and shut them down.    

It Revived America's Love Of American Rock    

While Eagles ' Hotel California , Fleetwood Mac 's Rumors , and Boston 's self-titled debut had all racked up colossal sales in the '70s, Springsteen's commercial opus was the first guitar-oriented U.S. release to achieve similar numbers in the '80s. By the end of the decade, Guns N' Roses ' Appetite for Destruction and Journey 's Greatest Hits were also approaching the 20 million mark , while Bryan Adams ' Reckless , Van Halen 's 5150, and Bon Jovi 's Slippery When Wet were just a few of the domestic rock efforts that immediately followed in its chart-topping footsteps.   

And while the use of synths brought Springsteen's sound into the '80s, The Boss didn't forget about his earthier roots. Born In The U.S.A. is also steeped in the classic sounds of American rock, from the honky tonk leanings of "Darlington County" and rockabilly of " Workin ' On The Highway" to the front porch folk of "My Hometown." Its lyrical content might not always have been patriotic, but its accompanying music was as American as apple pie.    

Songbook: How Bruce Springsteen's Portraits Of America Became Sounds Of Hope During Confusing Times  

Photo: Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for Disney+

10 Facts About Jon Bon Jovi: A Friendship With Springsteen, Philanthropy, Football Fanaticism & More

Ahead of the band's new album 'Forever,' out June 7, and a new Hulu documentary, "Thank you, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story," read on for 10 facts about the GRAMMY-winning group and its MusiCares Person Of The Year frontman.

Bon Jovi have officially been in the cultural conversation for five decades — and it looks like we'll never say goodbye. 

The band's self-titled debut album was unleashed upon the world in 1984, and lead single "Runaway" made some waves. Yet the New Jersey group didn't truly break through until their third album, the 12 million-selling Slippery When Wet . By the late 1980s, they were arguably the biggest rock band in the world, selling out massive shows in arenas and stadiums. 

Since, Bon Jovi releases have consistently topped album charts (six of their studio albums hit No. 1). A big reason for their continued success is that, unlike a majority of their ‘80s peers, frontman Jon Bon Jovi made sure that they adapted to changing times while retaining the spirit of their music — from the anthemic stomp of 1986’s "Bad Medicine" to the Nashville crossover of 2005’s "Who Says You Can’t Go Home." It also doesn’t hurt that the 2024 MusiCares Person Of The Year has aged very gracefully; his winning smile and charismatic personality ever crush-worthy.

Their fifth decade rocking the planet has been marked by many other milestones: The release of  a four-part Hulu documentary, " Thank you, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story "; Bon Jovi's 16th studio album Forever , and fan hopes for the return of original guitarist Richie Sambora who left unexpectedly in 2013. Despite all of these positive notes, there is an ominous cloud hanging over the group as their singer had to undergo vocal surgery following disappointing, consistently off-key performances on the group's 2022 U.S. tour. Even afterward, he remains unsure whether he’ll be able to tour again. But Bon Jovi remains popular and with Sambora expressing interest in a reunion , it's plausible that we could see them back on stage again somehow.

Jon Bon Jovi has also had quite a multifaceted career spun off of his success in music, as shown by the following collection of fascinating facts.

Jon Bon Jovi Sung With Bruce Springsteen When He Was 17

By the time he was in high school, Jon Bongiovi (his original, pre-fame last name) was already fronting his first serious group. The Atlantic City Expressway was a 10-piece with a horn section that performed well-known tunes from Jersey acts like Bruce Springsteen and Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes.

They regularly played The Fast Lane, and one night Bruce Springsteen was in the audience. To Bon Jovi’s surprise, The Boss jumped onstage to join them. The two later became good friends — during his MusiCares performance, Bon Jovi introduced Springsteen as "my mentor, my friend, my brother, my hero."

Jon Recorded Bon Jovi’s First Hit Before The Band Formed

Although "Runaway" was the debut single and lone Top 40 hit from Bon Jovi's first two albums, it was recorded as a professional demo back in 1982. 

Bon Jovi got a gig as a gopher at Power Station , the famed studio co-owned by his second cousin Tony Bongiovi where artists like the Rolling Stones , Diana Ross , and David Bowie recorded. (He watched even watched Bowie and Freddie Mercury record the vocals for "Under Pressure.")

The future rockstar cut "Runaway" (which was co-written mainly by George Karak) and other demos with session musicians — his friend, guitarist Aldo Nova, Rick Springfield/John Waite guitarist Tim Pierce, Springsteen keyboardist Roy Bittan, bassist Hugh McDonald (a future Bon Jovi member), and Scandal drummer Frankie LaRocca. The song first appeared on a WAPP compilation under his name, but then it was placed on Bon Jovi’s debut album. When the video for "Runway" was created nearly two years later, members of Bon Jovi were miming to other people’s performances. 

Although it is a classic, original guitarist Richie Sambora hates it and never wants to play it again.

He Eloped With His High School Sweetheart In April 1989

During the band’s world tour in support of New Jersey , Bon Jovi and Dorothea Hurley spontaneously eloped in a quickie wedding in Vegas. His bandmates and management were shocked to find this out; the latter probably feared that his ineligible bachelor status would harm their popularity with their ardent female fans. But it simply played more into his more wholesome image that differed from other hard rockers of the time. 

In May 2024, Bon Jovi’s son Jake secretly married "Stranger Things" actor Millie Bobby Brown . It was like history repeating itself, except this time family was involved.

Listen: Revisit Jon Bon Jovi's Greatest Hits & Deep Cuts Ahead Of MusiCares' Person Of The Year 2024 Gala

The Bongiovi Family Is Part Of The Bon Jovi Family

Back in the ‘80s, parents often didn’t like their kids’ music. However, Bon Jovi’s parents completely supported his. Mother Carol Bongiovi often chaperoned his early days when he was an underaged kid playing local clubs and bars in New Jersey. Father Jon Sr. was the group’s hair stylist until their third album, Slippery When Wet . He created his son's signature mane . 

Jon’s brother Matthew started as a production assistant in the band’s organization, then worked for their management before becoming his brother’s head of security and now his tour manager. His other brother Anthony became the director of a few Bon Jovi concert films and promo clips. He’s also directed concert films for Slayer and the Goo Goo Dolls .

Bon Jovi Is A Regular In Television & Film

After writing songs for the Golden Globe-winning " Young Guns II soundtrack (released as the solo album Blaze Of Glory ) and getting a cameo in the Western’s opening, Bon Jovi was bitten by the acting bug. He studied with acclaimed acting coach Harold Guskin in the early ‘90s, then appeared as the romantic interest of Elizabeth Perkins in 1995's Moonlight and Valentino .

In other movies, Bon Jovi played a bartender who’s a recovering alcoholic ( Little City ), an ex-con turning over a new leaf ( Row Your Boat ), a failed father figure ( Pay It Forward ), a suburban dad and pot smoker ( Homegrown ), and a Navy Lieutenant in WWII ( U-571 ). The band’s revival in 2000 slowed his acting aspirations, but he appeared for 10 episodes of "Ally McBeal," playing her love interest in 2002. 

Elsewhere on the silver screen, the singer has also portrayed a vampire hunter ( Vampiros: Los Muertos ), a duplicitous professor ( Cry Wolf ), the owner of a women’s hockey team ( Pucked ), and a rock star willing to cancel a tour for the woman he loves ( New Year’s Eve ). He hasn’t acted since 2011, but who knows when he might make a guest appearance?

Jon Bon Jovi Once Co-Owned A Football Team

In 2004, Bon Jovi became one of the co-founders and co-majority owner of the Philadelphia Soul, which were part of the Arena Football League (AFL). (Sambora was a minority shareholder.) The team name emerged in a satirical scene from "It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia" during which Danny DeVito’s character tries to buy the team for a paltry sum and twice butchers the singer’s name.

Jon stuck with the team until 2009, a year after they won Arena Bowl XXII, defeating the San Jose SaberCats. He then set his eyes on a bigger prize, the Buffalo Bills, aligning himself with a group of Toronto investors in 2011. One of his biggest competitors? Donald Trump, who ran a smear campaign alleging that the famed singer would move the team to Toronto. 

In the end, neither man purchased the team as they were outbid by Terry and Kim Pegula, who still own the Bills today.

Jon & Richie Sambora Wrote Songs For Other Artists

Having cranked out massive hits with songwriter Desmond Child , Bon Jovi and Sambora decided to write or co-write songs for and with other artists. 

In 1987, they co-wrote and produced the Top 20 hit "We All Sleep Alone" with Child for Cher , and also co-wrote the Top 40 hit "Notorious" with members of Loverboy. In 1989, the duo paired up again Loverboy guitarist Paul Dean for his solo rocker "Under The Gun" and bequeathed the New Jersey outtake "Does Anybody Really Fall in Love Anymore?" (co-written with Child and Diane Warren) to Cher. 

The Bon Jovi/Sambora song "Peace In Our Time" was recorded by Russian rockers Gorky Park. In 1990, Paul Young snagged the New Jersey leftover "Now and Forever," while the duo penned "If You Were in My Shoes" with Young, though neither song was released. In 2009, Bon Jovi and Sambora were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame for their contributions to music.

Jon Bon Jovi Once Ran His Own Record Label

For a brief time in 1991, he ran his own record label, Jambco, which was distributed through Bon Jovi’s label PolyGram Records. The only two artists he signed were Aldo Nova and Billy Falcon, a veteran singer/songwriter who became Bon Jovi's songwriting partner in the 2000s. Neither of their albums (Aldo Nova’s Blood On The Bricks and Billy Falcon’s Pretty Blue World ) were big sellers, and the label folded quickly when they began losing money.

Still, the experience gave Bon Jovi the chance to learn about the music business . That experience helped after he fired original manager Doc McGhee in 1991 and took over his band’s managerial reins until 2015.

Bon Jovi's Vocal Issues Aren't New

Although Jon Bon Jovi's vocal problems have become a major issue recently, they stem back to the late 1980s. It's doubtful as to whether Jon had proper vocal training for a rock band at the start. 

The group did 15-month tours to support both the Slippery When Wet and New Jersey albums. Near the end of the grueling Slippery tour, Bon Jovi was getting steroid injections because his voice was suffering.

While his voice held up into the 2000s, it has become apparent over the last decade that his singing is rougher than it used to be. As shown in the Hulu new documentary, the singer has been struggling to maintain his voice. It’s natural for older rock singers to lose some range — it’s been very rare to hear him sing any of the high notes in "Livin’ On A Prayer" over the last 20 years — but he admits he is unsure whether he can ever tour again , even with recent surgery.

Bon Jovi Has Been A Philanthropist For Over Three Decades

Back in the 1980s, the upbeat Bon Jovi made it clear that they were not going to be a toned-down political band. But in the ‘90s, he and the band toned down their look, evolved their sound, and offered a more mature outlook on life. 

Reflecting this evolved viewpoint,  the band started an annual tradition of playing a December concert in New Jersey to raise money for various charitable causes; the concert series began in 1991 and continued with the band or Jon solo through at least 2015. The group have played various charitable concert events over the years including the Twin Towers Relief Benefit, Live 8 in Philadelphia, and The Concert For Sandy Relief. 

By the late 2000s, Jon and Dorothea founded the JBJ Soul Kitchen to serve meals at lower costs to people who cannot afford them. COVID-19 related food shortages led the couple to found  the JBJ Soul Kitchen Food Bank. Their JBJ Soul Foundation supports affordable housing and has rebuilt and refurbished homes through organizations like Project H.O.M.E., Habitat For Humanity, and Rebuilding Together.

While he may be a superstar, Jon Bon Jovi still believes in helping others. For his considerable efforts, he was honored as the 2024 MusiCares Person Of The Year during 2024 GRAMMY Week .

Photo: Estevan Oriol/Getty Images, Taylor Hill/Getty Images, Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for The New Yorker, Kevin Mazur/Getty Images, Sergione Infuso/Corbis via Getty Images

2023 In Review: 10 Trends That Defined Rock Music

Rock acts young and old helped the genre stay alive in 2023. Take a look at 10 of the genre's most prominent trends, from early aughts revivals to long-awaited reunions.

The rock scene may no longer be the dominant force it once was — blink-182 's One More Time... is the only Billboard 200 chart-topper this year to predominantly fall under this category. But 2023 has still been an interesting and eventful period for those who like their guitar music turned up to eleven.

Over the past 12 months, we've had the two biggest groups of the Swinging Sixties returning to the fray in style, a new European invasion, and a wave of blockbuster albums that may well go down as modern classics. And then there's the revivals which will no doubt spark nostalgia in any kids of the 2000s, a resurgence in all-star line-ups, and a residency that could possibly change how we experience live music.

As we gear up for the holiday season, here's a look at 10 trends that defined rock music in 2023.

European Rock Traveled To America

From Lacuna Coil and Gojira to Volbeat and Rammstein , the Billboard charts aren't exactly strangers to European rock. But 2023 was the year when the continent appeared to band together for a mini invasion. Italian quartet Måneskin continued their remarkable journey from Eurovision Song Contest winners to bona fide rock gods with a Best New Artist nod at the 2023 GRAMMYs, a top 20 placing on the Billboard 200 albums chart for third album Rush! , and a Best Rock Video win at the MTV VMAs.

Masked metalers Ghost scored a fourth consecutive Top 10 entry on the Billboard 200 with covers EP Phantomime, also landing a Best Metal Performance GRAMMY nomination for its cover of Iron Maiden 's "Phantom of the Opera," (alongside Disturbed 's "Bad Man," Metallica 's "72 Seasons," Slipknot 's "Hive Mind," and Spiritbox's "Jaded"). While fellow Swedes Avatar bagged their first Mainstream Rock No. 1 with "The Dirt I'm Buried In," a highly melodic meditation on mortality which combines funky post-punk with freewheeling guitar solos that sound like they've escaped from 1980s Sunset Strip.

Age Proved To Be Nothing But A Number

The theory that rock and roll is a young man's game was blown apart in 2023. Fronted by 80-year-old Mick Jagger , The Rolling Stones reached No.3 on the Billboard 200 thanks to arguably their finest album in 40 years, Hackney Diamonds , with lead single "Angry" also picking up a Best Rock Song GRAMMY nod alongside Olivia Rodrigo 's "aallad of a homeschooled girl," Queens of the Stone Age 's "Emotion Sickness," Boygenius' "Not Strong Enough," and Foo Fighters ' "Rescued." (The latter two will also battle it out with Arctic Monkeys ' "Sculpture of Anything Goes," Black Pumas ' "More than a Love Song," and Metallica's "Lux Aeterna" for Best Rock Performance.)

The eternally shirtless Iggy Pop , a relative spring chicken at 76, delivered a late-career classic, too, with the star-studded Every Loser . And Bruce Springsteen , KISS , and Paul McCartney all proved they weren't ready for the slippers and cocoa life yet by embarking on lengthy world tours.

Death Was No Barrier To Hits

Jimmy Buffett sadly headed for that tropical paradise in the sky this year. But having already recorded 32nd studio effort, Equal Strain on All Parts , the margarita obsessive was able to posthumously score his first new entry on the Billboard Rock Chart since 1982's "It's Midnight And I'm Not Famous Yet."

But he isn't the only artist to have recently achieved success from beyond the grave. Linkin Park reached the U.S. Top 40 with "Lost," a track recorded for 2003 sophomore Meteora , but which only saw the light of day six years after frontman Chester Bennington 's passing.

Perhaps most unexpectedly of all, The Beatles topped the U.K. charts for the first time since 1969 thanks to " Now and Then ," a psychedelic tear-jerker in which surviving members McCartney and Ringo Starr brought previously unheard recordings from George Harrison and John Lennon back to life.

The Giants Stayed Giant

Foo Fighters also overcame the death of a core member on what many rock fans would consider this year's most eagerly awaited album. Drummer Taylor Hawkins , who passed away in early 2022, doesn't feature on the poignant but vibrant But Here We Are . Yet the two-time GRAMMY nominated LP still proved to be a fitting tribute as well as an encouraging sign that Dave Grohl and co. can extend their legacy:lead single "Rescued" became their 12th number one on Billboard's Main Rock Chart .

The Best Rock Album category for the 2024 GRAMMYs proves that veterans were alive and mighty in 2023. Along with the Foos' latest LP, the nominees include another Grohl-affiliated band,, Queens of the Stone Age's first album in six years, In Times New Roman... , Paramore 's This Is Why , Metallica's 72 Seasons and Greta Van Fleet 's Starcatcher .. (Metallica's 72 Seasons also struck gold with its singles, three of which landed at No. 1 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart, where lead single "Lux Æterna" spent 11 consecutive weeks on top.)

Of course, we also have to give a shout-out to U2 . Not for March's Songs of Surrender album (for which they re-recorded 40 of their biggest and best tracks), but for the immersive, eye-popping Las Vegas residency at The Sphere which potentially reinvented the future of live music.

The Rock Supergroup Continued To Thrive

2023 spawned several new rock supergroups including Mantra of the Cosmos (Shaun Ryder, Zak Starkey and Andy Bell), Lol Tolhurst x Budgie x Jacknife Lee , and Better Lovers (various members of The Dillinger Escape Plan and Every Time I Die). But it was an already established all-star line-up that took the GRAMMY nominations by storm.

Consisting of Phoebe Bridgers , Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker , boygenius bagged a remarkable seven nods at the 2024 ceremony. Throw in a well-received headline set at Coachella, U.S. Top 50 follow-up EP, and even a "Saturday Night Live" showing alongside Timothée Chalamet, and the trio couldn't have asked for a better way to continue what they started together in 2018.

The Early 2000s Enjoyed A Revival

The cyclical nature of the music industry meant that the era of choppy bangs and super-skinny jeans was always going to come back into fashion. And following throwbacks from the likes of Olivia Rodrigo and Willow , the original punk-pop brigade returned this year to prove they could still mosh with the best of them.

Possibly the defining nasal voice of his generation, Tom DeLonge headed back into the studio with blink-182 for the first time in 12 years, with the resulting One More Time... topping the Billboard 200 . Linkin Park (" Lost "), Papa Roach (" Cut the Line "), and a reunited Staind (" Lowest in Me ") all scored No. 1s on the Mainstream Rock Airplay Chart, while Sum 41 , Bowling For Soup , and Good Charlotte were just a few of the high school favorites who helped cement When We Were Young as the millennial's dream festival.

The Emo Scene Went Back To Its Roots

After channeling the new wave and synth-pop of the 1980s on predecessor After Laughter , Paramore returned from a six-year absence with a record which harked back to their mid-2000s beginnings. But it wasn't their own feisty brand of punk-pop that Best Rock Album GRAMMY nominee This Is Why resembled. Instead, its nervy indie rock took its cues, as frontwoman Hayley Williams freely admits , from touring buddies Bloc Party.

Paramore weren't the only emo favorites to rediscover their roots. Fall Out Boy reunited with Under the Cork Tree producer Neal Avron and old label Fueled By Ramen on the dynamic So Much (for) Stardust . And while Taking Back Sunday further veered away from their signature sound, the Long Islanders still embraced the past by naming seventh LP 152 after the North Carolina highway stretch they used to frequent as teens.

Country Artists Tapped Into Rock Sensibilities

We're used to seeing rock musicians going a little bit country: see everyone from Steven Tyler and Bon Jovi to Darius Rucker and Aaron Lewis. But the opposite direction is usually rarer. In 2023, however, it seemed as though every Nashville favorite was suddenly picking up the air guitar.

Zach Bryan repositioned himself as Gen-Z's answer to Bruce Springsteen with the heartland rock of his eponymous Billboard 200 chart-topper (which is up for Best Country Album at the 2024 GRAMMYs alongside Kelsea Ballerini 's Rolling Up the Welcome Mat , Brothers Osborne 's self-titled LP, Tyler Childers ' Rustin' in the Rain , and Lainey Wilson 's Bell Bottom Country ). Meanwhile, Hitmaker HARDY — who first cut his teeth penning hits for Florida Georgia Line and Blake Shelton — leaned into the sounds of hard rock and nu-metal on his second studio LP, The Mockingbird & the Crow .

But few committed more to the crossover than the one of country's greatest living legends. Dolly Parton roped in a whole host of hellraisers and headbangers including Richie Sambora , Joan Jett & The Blackhearts , and Rob Halford , for the 30-track Rockstar — her first rock-oriented project of her glittering 49-album career.

Post-Grunge Reunions Were Abundant

Fans of the mopey '90s scene known as post-grunge had all their dreams come true this year thanks to several unexpected reunions. Turn-of-the-century chart-toppers Staind and Matchbox Twenty both returned with new albums after more than a decade away. Creed , meanwhile, announced they'd be headlining next year's Summer of '99 cruise after a similar amount of time out of the spotlight.

The insatiable appetite for all things nostalgia, of course, means that any band — no matter how fleeting their fame — can stage a lucrative comeback. Take Dogstar, for example, the unfashionable outfit boasting Hollywood nice guy Keanu Reeves. Twenty-three years after appearing to call it a day, the Los Angeles trio surprised everyone by hitting the Bottlerock Napa Valley Festival before dropping a belated third LP, Somewhere Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees and embarking on a headlining national tour.

The New Generation Gave The Old Their Dues

Say what you want about today's musical generation, but they know to pay respect where it's due., Olivia Rodrigo, for example, doffed her cap to '90s alt-rock favorites The Breeders by inviting them to open on her 2024 world tour.

New working-class hero Sam Fender invited fellow Newcastle native Brian Johnson to perform two AC/DC classics at his hometown stadium show . While ever-changing Japanese kawaii metalers Babymetal debuted their latest incarnation on "Metali," a collaboration with one of their musical idols, Rage Against the Machine 's Tom Morello .

Whether new artists are teaming up with the old or veterans are continuing to receive their flowers, 2023 proved that rock is alive and well.

2023 In Review: 5 Trends That Defined Hip-Hop

Photo: Taylor Hill/Getty Images

The Gaslight Anthem's Comeback Album 'History Books' Makes A Case For Meeting Your Heroes

On 'History Books' — the Gaslight Anthem's first album in nine years — the New Jersey punks sound hungry again. Brian Fallon explains how friendship with Bruce Springsteen, dinner with Jon Bon Jovi and mental health inspired the band's latest.

Seventeen years ago, Brian Fallon and the rest of the Gaslight Anthem — guitarist Alex Rosamilia, bassist Alex Levine, and drummer Benny Horowitz — were just trying to hold onto the dream. 

New Jersey’s communal culture of DIY punk brought them years of friendship and freedom from square jobs, but entering their late 20s, Fallon and co. had played in countless bands that flamed out or left them unfulfilled. Formed in 2006, the Gaslight Anthem was their final shot. "That’s why we called our first record Sink or Swim ," Fallon tells GRAMMY.com. 

They swam. That 2007 debut signaled a sea change: In the early 2000s, punk bands were not repping Bruce Springsteen . They were absolutely not namechecking Tom Petty . Here was a punk band from the same streets as the Misfits, Bouncing Souls, and My Chemical Romance, writing great songs draped in the Americana of their parents’ generation. By the time the Boss himself joined Gaslight onstage at Glastonbury Festival 2009, their sophomore album The ‘59 Sound had made them one of the world’s most acclaimed new rock bands. 

The Gaslight Anthem mined its tried and true sound for two more albums,but half a decade of non-stop touring and creative pressure was starting to take its toll. 2014’s Get Hurt , a moodier record inspired by Fallon’s recent divorce, received mixed reviews. A year later, the band was on ice. They reformed in 2018 to perform 10-year anniversary shows for The ‘59 Sound but disappeared soon after. Fallon released singer/songwriter-oriented solo albums into the 2020s and kept in touch with his old bandmates, but it wasn’t the same. 

On Oct. 27, the Gaslight Anthem releases History Books , its first album in nine years. It’s an earthy, battle-tested rock record from a veteran band that sounds hungry again, their first self-released album after an amicable split with Island Records. The title track features a duet with Bruce Springsteen, the pair’s first studio collaboration after years of friendship. 

GRAMMY.com caught up with Fallon to discuss  what years of (humble) rock stardom brought him: a hard-earned appreciation for Gaslight Anthem’s past and a new understanding of the demons rattling in his brain.

This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

What made you want to get the band back together?  

I don’t think it was anything other than being inspired to write. I wouldn’t say that being inside for two years didn’t have a hand in that. At some point, you’re sitting there thinking to yourself, I had this band and we played big shows. It’s fun. A lot of people like it. It sounds like a good idea… I gotta do this. I have something else to say .

When the band was inactive, how much did the four of you stay in touch?

We don’t call each other every day, but we stayed current on the things going on in everybody’s life.

The whole thing is more about being friends. We’ve been through things no one else has seen. We’ve slept on floors in another country in a youth center with bugs crawling on you when you’re sleeping. And the only people that understand that are those other three. 

It’s been almost a decade since Gaslight Anthem released its last album, Get Hurt. Now that there’s some space to look back on it, why do you think the band went its separate ways after that album?  

We all felt that strain. In 2015, you couldn’t really say, as a musician, "Hey, I need to not be on tour because I’m going crazy. I need to sort my mental health out." People would just be like, "We’re going onto the next band. Bye. Your career is over." 

So when we pulled the plug, everyone was like, "Why are you doing this?" Well, so we don’t die. So we don’t hate ourselves, that’s why. We knew it wasn’t the band. We knew it wasn’t each other. I think we just needed to stop the landslide.

Do you think this had to do with being in the major label ecosystem? You came up releasing albums on punk rock labels, so I’m interested how you think it all compares.

I would love to sit here and tell you that the pressure is only in the major label world and that it’s the evil major label corporate overlords who do this to bands, but it is absolutely not. It comes from the smallest indie label of some dude in his basement, all the way up. My experience on majors was maybe even a little more sensitive. If you’re running a small label and you have excitement built up, you’re like, "Whoa! This is working on a big level!" You’re so excited that you’re like, "You gotta do this! You gotta do that!"

I’m not saying any of the labels we were on were like, "You gotta do this!," but there was definitely, "Well, if you don’t play this radio show, they’re not gonna play your record." 

Now, people are a little more in tune to what’s going on, but [10 to 15 years ago] for sure, it was like, this is your only opportunity ever! Well, no, it’s not the only opportunity ever. There’s other opportunities. 

Did it feel like people knew what to do with you at Island Records?

We had a real big champion at the time in the president, David Massey. He was the person who signed us. Bon Jovi and U2 had been on Island for a while and contemporary to us, was the Killers. Every time the Killers did something good, it gave us a little more freedom because they were the other rock band on the label. We liked [the Killers] and they liked us. They covered one of our songs ["American Slang"] at one of their shows in New York [in 2017]. It was like having a big brother on the label, paving a path. 

When we got back together, we weren't really on Island, but they could have made us make a record [for Island]. We don’t own anything. I don’t own [the masters for] Sink or Swim . I don’t own ‘59 Sound . Nothing. So we wanted to own it, now. We wanted to do our own label, with [independent distribution company] Thirty Tigers, where it’s much more of, "You’re the label, you make the decisions." 

How did "History Books" with Bruce come together?

I’m not one to shoot my shot, so to speak. Which has not been great for my career, I guess. But if somebody wants to do something for you, let them do it, you know? I never asked Bruce for anything. 

We were talking and I was saying, "Yeah, we’re putting the band back together and working on some songs." He just said, "Why don’t you write a duet for us?" I was like, "What? Alright!" You have to understand that, for me, sitting here and saying, "Why don’t you whip up a duet for me and Bruce Springsteen?" – that to me is like saying, "Why don’t I write a book for Ernest Hemingway? Why don’t I write Jimi Hendrix a guitar solo?" 

So I went away and I would say to myself, Alright, the next one is for Bruce. I’ll write the next song for Bruce. I just kept writing the songs to get them out, without the pressure. And at the end of it all, I just said, "Which song would Bruce sound good singing on?" Everybody just said "History Books." Cool! And then we sent it to him. 

What did he say when you sent him the song?  

He said, "Cool, I’ll get it done." He was in Dublin on tour and he just did it. 

After knowing him all these years, why do you think now was the time he proposed writing a song together?

With the band back and writing new material, it was just the right time. I don’t think there was a time before this where it would have been good for us to have done. 

Now, we’ve gone down a path enough to where we can embrace Bruce, New Jersey, our influences. We’re able to comfortably have that be our home.

When you’re around Bruce, do you get nervous?  

Imagine you’re seven years old, you’re reading your comic books, and then all of a sudden Batman jumps out of the comic book in your room and goes, "Hey, you wanna go fight crime tonight?" It’s insane to be in the presence of a person that’s that famous, and that influential to you. It’s not a thing a normal person can comprehend. And I can not comprehend this. 

Reading the lyrics to this album, I thought you were referencing your mental health a lot. Can you share what's been going on during the several years of your life?

It feels like everybody in America’s got things on their mind, especially the last couple years. I got to a point where the days felt like they were harder than they should have been. It’s like pushing a rock up a hill when you’re doing that every day, and you get tired. You’re dealing with stuff in your mind that you can’t quite… there’s not an event that causes you to feel a certain way. There’s no cause, so you can’t predict it. And that becomes extremely frustrating.

You turn to other things, or you get help and say, I don’t think I can do this on my own. I need someone else alongside me. " That’s the point I got to. I got a therapist. There’s not a special rockstar line that people call, or if there is, I don’t have that number. I just went to the doctor and said, "I don’t feel right." 

Did these feelings get  buried during Gaslight Anthem’s more active years, only to come out during the pandemic when things got quieter?

I think it was coming anyway. Whether there was time to deal with it or not. The band slowing down before the pandemic was part of that, needing some time and space. That was why the band stopped, because it was like a steamroller. It’s like you have another mental illness, which is the anxiety of the pressure of feeling like you have to be excited. And that’s where the tidal wave starts… You feel guilty ‘cause you’re like, "I should be grateful. I’m in a band." And you are grateful, but you’re also struggling, and it’s freaking hard! 

[Mental health] comes up a lot in the song "Positive Charge"… I wrote it about that struggle. But this isn’t the mental health record. I’ve been writing long enough where I can steer the boat so it’s not a diary entry anymore. 

Back in 2021, you played a fundraiser in New Jersey alongside Jon Bon Jovi and Johnny Rzeznik from the Goo Goo Dolls. What was that like?  

We were doing a benefit for the reelection of the Governor of New Jersey [Democrat Phil Murphy]. Jon Bon Jovi reached out to my manager and wanted me to play. Whoopi Goldberg was hosting. Insane stuff. 

Jon Bon Jovi wanted to meet for dinner beforehand. At the same time, I was really thinking about the band. On the way in the car, I said to my wife, "I think I wanna get the band back together." I had not spoken of this prior, so this blew her mind. 

We sit down at the table, and it’s Jon Bon Jovi and John Rzeznik. I didn’t expect them to be familiar with my band, because they’re giant songwriters. They were just genuinely interested in what we had done, talking about the songs they liked. When we left, my wife was like, "That’s a sign. If there’s a sign, that’s a sign."

I’ve met famous people who are completely off the planet. They’re just not interested in having a normal conversation. They just revel in the absurdity of their fame. I could relate to [Bon Jovi and Rzeznik] because the one common denominator is we all came from nothing. And now we’re in bands that achieved some amount of success. 

On New Album 'Jonny,' The Drums' Jonny Pierce Is Finished "Setting Myself Up To Lose"

Photo: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for MTV Entertainment 

10 Artists Who Are Outspoken About Mental Health: Billie Eilish, Selena Gomez, Shawn Mendes & More

From Ed Sheeran to Janet Jackson, take a look at some of the major music stars who have shared their struggles with mental health — and helped fans feel supported and seen in the process.

Sharing mental health issues with close family or specialized medical professionals can be challenging enough. Add in the pressures of fame and being in the public eye, and any struggles are exponentially more difficult to cope with.

In recent years, though, mental health has become a much more widely discussed topic in celebrity culture. Several artists have used their music and their platform to open up about their own struggles with depression, anxiety and the like, from Bruce Springsteen to Selena Gomez .

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month this May, GRAMMY.com highlights the inspirational impact of music superstars who speak out about what they're going through, and how they manage their challenges. These 10 performers are making change through their courage and candor.

Ed Sheeran takes fans behind the curtain of his personal life and struggles with mental health in Ed Sheeran: The Sum of It All . The four-episode docuseries, which is now streaming on Disney+, details the pain of losing his best friend Jamal Edwards and his wife Cherry Seaborn receiving a cancer diagnosis while she was pregnant with their daughter Jupiter.

"What I think is really great about the documentary is the themes that it explores, everyone goes through," Sheeran said at the New York City premiere on May 2, according to the Hollywood Reporter . "Everyone goes through grief. Everyone goes through ups and downs of their mental health."

Sheeran dives deeper into his struggles — and is more vulnerable than ever before — on his latest album Subtract , which arrived on May 5. "Running from the light/ Engulfed in darkness/ Sharing my eyes/ Wondering why I'm stuck on the borderline," he sings on album cut "Borderline," which touches on battling suicide thoughts.

Lewis Capaldi

Like Sheeran, Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi also gave fans an incredibly upfront look at his mental health challenges in a documentary, How I'm Feeling Now . The new Netflix release details his experience with anxiety and Tourette's syndrome, taking viewers to physical therapy with Capaldi and discussing how his medication both helps and hurts the quality of his life.

Capaldi's second album, Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent (due May 19) will further explore his anxieties and vulnerability. While he has admitted it wasn't easy to be so raw in his music and on screen, Capaldi wants to make a difference in other people's lives. "If people notice things that are concurrent with what's going on in their life, then it's all been worth it," he told Variety .

Billie Eilish

While Billie Eilish 's music has been raw and real from the start, her music has become increasingly more vulnerable throughout the years. Whether in her music or in interviews, the star has opened up about dealing with body dysmorphia, depression and thoughts of self-harm — hoping to inspire fans to speak up when they are hurting, and to know that it gets better.

"It doesn't make you weak to ask for help," she asserts in a 2019 video for Ad Council's Seize The Awkward campaign, which features stars discussing mental health.

"Kids use my songs as a hug," she told Rolling Stone earlier that year. "Songs about being depressed or suicidal or completely just against-yourself — some adults think that's bad, but I feel that seeing that someone else feels just as horrible as you do is a comfort. It's a good feeling."

Selena Gomez

As one of the most-followed stars on social media, Selena Gomez has often used her formidable presence to discuss her mental health and connect with others. In 2022, the singer launched a startup called Wondermind, which is focused on "mental fitness" and helping users maintain strong mental health.

Just a few months later, Gomez further chronicled her own mental health journey in an Apple TV+ documentary, Selena Gomez: My Mind and Me , which shows extremes she's suffered with her depression and bipolar disorder. She has said she was initially hesitant to share the film, but ultimately reflected on how many others could be helped if she did.

"Because I have the platform I have, it's kind of like I'm sacrificing myself a little bit for a greater purpose," she explained in a 2022 cover story with Rolling Stone . "I don't want that to sound dramatic, but I almost wasn't going to put this out. God's honest truth, a few weeks ago, I wasn't sure I could do it."

Shawn Mendes

In 2019, Shawn Mendes first publicly addressed his struggles with anxiety in the dynamic — and GRAMMY-nominated — hit "In My Blood." Three years later, the singer postponed his 2022 tour in order to focus on his mental health, opening up an important conversation to his legion of fans.

"The process was very difficult," he said in a February interview with Wall Street Journal . "A lot of doing therapy, a lot of trying to understand how I was feeling and what was making me feel that way. And then doing the work to help myself and heal. And also leaning on people in my life to help a little bit. 

"It's been a lot of work, but I think the last year and a half has been the most eye-opening and growing and beautiful and just healing process of my life," he continued. "And it just really made me see how culture is really starting to get to a place where mental health is really becoming a priority."

Bruce Springsteen

Even an artist as successful and celebrated as Bruce Springsteen has faced depression. In his 2016 autobiography Born to Run , the 20-time GRAMMY winner cites a difficult relationship with his father and a history of mental illness in the family, sharing that he has sought treatment throughout his life.

"I was crushed between 60 and 62, good for a year, and out again from 63 to 64," he wrote in the book. In that time, he released his 2012 album, Wrecking Ball , which featured a raw track called "This Depression." "Baby, I've been down, but never this down I've been lost, but never this lost," he sings on the opening verse.

As his wife, Patti Scialfa, told Vanity Fair in 2016, "He approached the book the way he would approach writing a song…A lot of his work comes from him trying to overcome that part of himself."

Janet Jackson

The physical and emotional abuse suffered by the famous Jackson family is well-documented in books, documentaries and TV dramatizations. But it's only been in recent years that Janet Jackson has talked about her own depression, which she has referred to as "intense." Her son Aissa has helped her heal from mental health challenges that have followed her all of her life.

"In my 40s, like millions of women in the world, I still heard voices inside my head berating me, voices questioning my value," she wrote in a 2020 ESSENCE cover story. "Happiness was elusive. A reunion with old friends might make me happy. A call from a colleague might make me happy. But because sometimes I saw my failed relationships as my fault, I easily fell into despair."

After seeing global success with her debut single, "Ex's & Oh's," Elle King experienced the woes of sudden fame as well as a crumbling marriage. Her second album, 2018's Shake the Spirit , documented her struggles with self-doubt, medicinal drinking and PTSD.

"There's two ways out," she told PEOPLE in 2018, describing her marriage as "destructive," physically abusive and leading her to addiction. "You can take the bad way out or you can get help. I got help because I knew that I have felt good in my life and I knew I could get there again."

Brendon Urie

Certain public situations can trigger crippling anxiety attacks for Brendon Urie , who has been open about mental health concerns throughout his career. He can perform in front of thousands of fans, but he's revealed that being in the grocery store or stuck in an elevator for too long with other people are among some of his most uncomfortable scenarios in his life.

"You would never tell on the surface, but inside it's so painful I can't even describe," the former Panic! At The Disco frontman — who disbanded the group earlier this year to focus on his family — said in a 2016 interview with Kerrang .

Rapper Big Sean and his mother released a series of educational videos during Mental Health Awareness Month in 2021 — two years after the Detroit-born star started talking about his own long-held depression and anxiety publicly.

"I was just keeping it real because I was tired of not keeping it real," he said in an interview with ESSENCE in 2021. "I was tired of pretending I was a machine and everything was cool and being politically correct or whatever. I just was like, I'm a just say how I feel."

Like many of his peers, he hopes that his honesty will help others. "Whatever they can apply to their life and better themselves and maybe it just even starts a whole journey in a different direction as far as upgrading and taking care of themselves and bossing up themselves," he added. "Whatever they're trying to do, I hope it helps them get to that place."

How Durand Jones' Debut Album 'Wait Til I Get Over' Helped Him Explore His Roots & Find Self-Acceptance

• 1 How Bruce Springsteen's 'Born In The U.S.A.' Changed Rock History — And The Boss' Own Trajectory
• 2 10 Facts About Jon Bon Jovi: A Friendship With Springsteen, Philanthropy, Football Fanaticism & More
• 3 2023 In Review: 10 Trends That Defined Rock Music
• 4 The Gaslight Anthem's Comeback Album 'History Books' Makes A Case For Meeting Your Heroes
• 5 10 Artists Who Are Outspoken About Mental Health: Billie Eilish, Selena Gomez, Shawn Mendes & More

Bruce Springsteen

Rock star Bruce Springsteen is a beloved singer-songwriter best known for his songs that chronicle his working-class roots in New Jersey.

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1949-present

Bruce Springsteen News: Singer Postpones Remainder of 2023 Tour

The “Glory Days” singer, who recently turned 74, had previously postponed eight shows during September. The new postponements—affecting stops in Phoenix, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and throughout Canada—bring the total to 22, according to the Associated Press . Makeup dates are expected to be announced soon. This tour is Springsteen’s first with the E Street Band since 2017.

Peptic ulcer disease causes ulcers to form in the stomach and small intestine that can cause heartburn, nausea, and stomach pain. Although it can lead to bleeding and other emergency situations, a gastroenterology doctor told AP people who receive treatment “recover completely.”

Quick Facts

“the boss” and the e street band, albums and songs, springsteen on broadway, marriages and children, who is bruce springsteen.

Bruce Springsteen began his career by playing the bar circuit in New Jersey while assembling his famous E Street Band. His breakout 1975 record, Born to Run , united arena rock with human-size tales of working-class America. With dozens of awards under his belt, including 20 Grammys, and more than 65 million albums sold in the United States alone, Springsteen is one of the most successful musicians of all time. Also known for his left-leaning political causes, the artist was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Barack Obama in 2016.

FULL NAME: Bruce Springsteen BORN: September 23, 1949 BIRTHPLACE: Long Branch, New Jersey SPOUSES: Julianne Phillips (1985-1989) and Patti Scialfa (1991-present) CHILDREN: Evan James, Jessica Rae, and Samuel Ryan ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Libra

Born on September 23, 1949, in Long Branch, New Jersey, Bruce Springsteen was raised in a working-class household in Freehold Borough. His father, Doug Springsteen, had trouble holding down a steady job and worked at different times as a bus driver, millworker, and prison guard. Adele, Bruce’s mother, brought in steadier income as a secretary in a local insurance office.

Springsteen and his father had a difficult relationship. “When I was growing up, there were two things that were unpopular in my house,” the singer later recalled. “One was me, and the other was my guitar.”

Years later, however, Springsteen suggested that his fraught relationship with his father had been important for his art. “I’ve gotta thank him,” Springsteen said upon his induction to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1999, “because what would I conceivably have written about without him? I mean, you can imagine that if everything had gone great between us? We would have had disaster. I would have written just happy songs—and I tried it in the early ’90s, and it didn’t work… Anyway, I put on his work clothes, and I went to work. It was the way that I honored him. My parents’ experience forged my own. They shaped my politics, and they alerted me to what is at stake when you’re born in the U.S.A.”

Springsteen first fell in love with rock ’n’ roll when he saw Elvis Presley perform on The Ed Sullivan Show . “[Elvis] was as big as the whole country itself,” Springsteen later remembered, “as big as the whole dream. He just embodied the essence of it, and he was in mortal combat with the thing. Nothing will ever take the place of that guy.” Springsteen’s mother took out a loan to buy him a $60 Kent guitar for his 16 th birthday, and he hasn’t stopped playing the instrument since then.

An outsider and recluse in school, Springsteen frequently got in trouble at his Catholic elementary school. “In the third grade, a nun stuffed me in a garbage can under her desk because she said that’s where I belonged,” he said. “I also had the distinction of being the only altar boy knocked down by a priest during mass.” Several years later, he skipped his own high school graduation because he felt too uncomfortable to attend.

In 1967, an 18-year-old Springsteen was drafted for military service in the Vietnam War. But, as he later told Rolling Stone magazine, the only thought in his head as he traveled to his induction was “I ain’t goin’.” Springsteen failed his physical, largely due to his deliberately “crazy” behavior and a concussion previously suffered in a motorcycle accident. Springsteen’s 4-F classification—unfit for military service—freed him from having to go to Vietnam and allowed him to pursue music full-time.

By the late 1960s, Springsteen was spending most of his time in Asbury Park on the New Jersey Shore, playing in several different bands while he forged his unique sound and introduced audiences to the gravelly baritone voice that later became famous. It was there that he first met the musicians who formed his E Street Band. Around this time, Springsteen also acquired his nickname, “The Boss,” because he had a habit of collecting money earned during shows and then distributing it evenly among his bandmates.

In April 2014, the E-Street Band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Springsteen’s music is often associated with the “heartland rock” genre, which according to the University of Idaho explores themes of isolation in the working-class population. Artists with similar music include John Mellencamp , Tom Petty , and Bob Seger.

A testament to his lasting popularity, Springsteen became the first artist to have a top-five album in six different decades with the 2020 release of Letter to You .

According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Springsteen has had 15 platinum-certified and two diamond-certified albums throughout his career. Statistically, the biggest is 1984’s Born in the U.S.A. , which was sold more than 17 million copies and includes popular songs like “Cover Me,” “Glory Days,” “Dancing in the Dark,” and the titular track. Other top-selling albums include Born to Run (1975), The River (1980), and the compilation Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band Live 1975-85 (released in 1986).

All together, Springsteen has 12 songs that reached the Billboard top 10, including “Hungry Heart,” “I’m on Fire,” “Tunnel of Love,” and “My Hometown.” Surprisingly, however, none of them ever ascended to the No. 1 spot. The closest was “Dancing in the Dark,” which peaked at No. 2 in 1984.

In 2017, Springsteen made his Broadway debut in Springsteen on Broadway . Held at the Walter Kerr Theatre, the solo effort featured the artist performing some of his hits and sharing stories of his influences and formative years. After receiving a special Tony Award in June 2018, presented by Billy Joel , Springsteen closed out his show at the end of the year.

The following summer, Springsteen’s music was the focal point of the movie Blinded by the Light , about a British teenager of Pakistani descent who draws inspiration from the working-class yearnings of The Boss. According to director Gurinder Chadha, Springsteen expressed his appreciation of the film after a screening, saying, “Thank you for looking after me so beautifully.”

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Springsteen’s total net worth is valued around $650 million as of September 2023.

His net worth was boosted greatly in December 2021, when Springsteen sold his music catalog to Sony for an estimated $550 million—including separate deals for his recorded work and his songwriting rights. Sony owns the Columbia record label under which the singer worked throughout his career. “During the last 50 years, the men and women of Sony Music have treated me with the greatest respect as an artist and as a person. I’m thrilled that my legacy will continue to be cared for by the company and people I know and trust,” the singer said at the time in a statement.

After the whirlwind of commercial success that followed Born in the U.S.A. , Springsteen met and married actor Julianne Phillips in 1985. The marriage quickly began to fall apart, however, and Springsteen began an affair with E Street Band backup singer Patti Scialfa, who shared his working-class New Jersey background. Phillips filed for divorce in 1989.

Springsteen moved in with Scialfa, and they had two children—a son named Evan and a daughter named Jessica—together before officially marrying in 1991. Their third child and younger son, Samuel, was born in 1994.

Jessica is a professional equestrian who began riding horses on the family’s farm in Colts Neck Township, New Jersey. She competed for Team USA at the 2020 Olympics—postponed to the following year because of the COVID-19 pandemic—and won a silver medal in the team jumping competition.

Samuel—a firefighter for Jersey City, New Jersey—and his partner welcomed a daughter, Lily Harper Springsteen, in 2022, making Bruce and Patti grandparents for the first time.

Springsteen’s liberal politics became more pronounced as he became a strong backer of 2008 Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama . When Obama won the election, “The Rising” was the first song played at the victory party, and Springsteen went on to open the show at Obama’s inaugural celebration.

Honoring Springsteen at the Kennedy Center in 2009, Obama said, “I may be the President, but he is The Boss.” Springsteen campaigned for Obama’s reelection in 2012, and the president later named the music icon a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016. Springsteen was also tapped as one of the performers during a prime-time virtual celebration for Joe Biden ’s presidential inauguration in 2021.

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Springsteen connection to Freehold still strong 40 years after 'My Hometown' release

4 minute read.

Welcome to “My Hometown.”

On June 4, 1984, the Bruce Springsteen song “My Hometown” made its debut when it was released on Springsteen and the E Street Band’s “Born in the U.S.A.”

Forty years later, Springsteen’s connection to his hometown is stronger than ever.

It’s almost closing time on a recent weekday afternoon at Roberto’s Freehold Grill on East Main Street, but owner Roberto Diaz is happy to take a customer to the back of the diner where photos of Springsteen adorn a gallery wall.

More: 'My Hometown': Tour the Jersey Shore spots that Bruce Springsteen made famous

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“It’s a blessing that Bruce stops here, and every time he comes here he’s smiling and happy,” Diaz said.

The Boss made Roberto’s a regular stop while he was recovering from a bout with peptic ulcer disease in late 2023. Diaz would not disclose what Springsteen eats at the diner beyond it being a light breakfast.

Springsteen fans from around the world have zeroed in on Roberto’s Freehold Grill.

“They do, especially people from Europe — they’re big fans,” said Diaz, a longtime Freehold fixture who formerly worked at Sweet Lew’s Cafe on East Main Street. “A group of fans from Spain come at least a couple of times a year. They love his concerts.”

The ambiguous ending 

Springsteen ended "Born in the U.S.A.," his biggest-selling album, with “My Hometown,” a ballad that recounts actual events in Freehold during his lifetime and imbues them with a universality that’s resonated with fans around the world over the last 40 years.

The protagonist in “My Hometown” faces a decision of whether or not to leave his hometown for a better economic opportunity elsewhere in the ambiguous ending of the song.

“Was (the protagonist) doing that because he’s leaving and he wants his son to see it before they go, or is he doing it because you know what, we're going to stay and this is your hometown and you got to fight for it,” said Kevin Coyne, Freehold historian and writer who teaches journalism at Columbia University.

In Springsteen’s case, he stayed. The Boss lives 15 minutes away in Colts Neck, and he’s often seen around town when not on tour.

He popped into a barber’s chair at Joe’s Barber Shop on South Street late last year. The shop is referenced in his song, “Long Walk Home.”

“I think he appreciates this town a little bit more since he is older,” said Mike DiBenedetto, owner of Joe’s and a member of the borough council. “It’s funny, he asked if I went to Broadway to see his play and I said, 'Why would I spend $800 or $1,000 to go see you talk about a place I just came from. I’m only a barber, but that doesn’t make sense to me.”

DiBenedetto, a Freehold native, cracked a sly smile as he talked.

More: Nestlé out, paid parking in: Could Freehold become another Red Bank?

'Where Bruce is from'

Much of “Springsteen on Broadway” centered on Springsteen’s childhood in Freehold, and “My Hometown” was performed. When the Boss performed on the 2018 Tony Awards broadcast, he performed the “My Hometown” segment.

“I have children who were raised in this town and I thought it was really important for my children to understand that Bruce was from here,” said Phil Saunders, 58, who is not a Freehold native. “The different places where he lived, where his mom worked, where his dad would have a few drinks after work. I thought it was interesting for my younger children to understand that so that when they went to college, people would say, ‘Oh, you’re from New Jersey. That’s where Bruce is from,’ and they could have a little bit more of an earthiness about where they’re from. The home ties.”

“My Hometown” is not a flattering portrayal of Freehold. While it tells of economic and racial strife, there is an understated pull of place, time and spirit that transcends the materially obvious.

Home may not be perfect, but it’s home.

“When the album came out the town embraced it,” Coyne said. “There were bumper stickers that said ‘My Hometown Freehold.’ What are we calling the Springsteen museum? We’re calling it the ‘My Hometown’ center because we’re proud of it. It was battered, but it was real and it was ours, and that's what that song says.”

'Everything changed'

The starkest part of “My Hometown” is the detailing of racial tension in the town, specifically a 1969 incident where a car of white youths fired a shotgun into a car of Black youths.

Dean Lewis, then 16, lost an eye in the incident.

“It was a cool town for kids, but what illuminated a lot of (blank) was when Dr. Martin Luther King was murdered, and a lot of stuff started coming out and a lot of bad energy was directed,” said David Blackwell, 73, a Freehold childhood friend of Springsteen’s. “There were white guys we never had an issue with, period. Then all of a sudden you got to be down, so things changed.

"These were my friends who I went to school with everyday. I’m not going to go to war with them but what happened, and it’s in that song, is everybody was demonstrating and there were civil rights people in town and the car pulled at a traffic light and these white kids pulled up with a shotgun and shot into the car — and that’s when we had a riot.

“Everything changed and Bruce picked up on it. He picked up everything.”

'Big night in Dublin'

“My Hometown,” produced by Springsteen, Jon Landau, Chuck Plotkin and Steven Van Zandt, was released as a single on Nov. 21, 1985, with “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” as the B-side. The song hit No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The My Hometown: The Bruce Springsteen Story Center, a multipurpose museum and event space, is planned for the firehouse, 49 W. Main St. The Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music at Monmouth University and Freehold are collaborating on the effort, which has an opening date of spring 2026. The plan for proposed redevelopment of downtown is called the “Hometown Redevelopment Area Plan.”

During the May 19 concert at Croke Park in Dublin, Springsteen dedicated “My Hometown” to his “homies” of Freehold and Rathangan, the Irish home of his ancestors. Leaders of Freehold and Rathangan are in the process of formalizing a twin city agreement between the two towns.

“Big night, big night in Dublin,” said Springsteen from the stage. “We got the mayor of Freehold, who’s here tonight. My hometown, I got relatives from Rathangan and they’re going to twin the two towns together. This is for my homies.”

'The center of my art and my life'

Springsteen has called the firehouse at 49 W. Main the “coolest building in town.” 

“It’s the beginning of a lot of great things,” said Mayor Kevin Kane. “He’s 1,000 percent behind everything we’re doing, just loves the idea and like I told him, this is your story in your words supplemented by all the people, family and friends who grew up with you and around you and where we’re at now. People are going to come from around the world to find out more about our hometown. It’s tremendous.”

Springsteen, his family members and loved ones, and friends from town, attended the Freehold funeral for his mom, Adele Springsteen, at St. Rose of Lima Church, and the repast at Federici’s Family Restaurant on East Main Street. She passed away Jan. 31 at the age of 98.

“I come into town often. Very, very often,” said Springsteen at the My Hometown announcement in 2022. “We’ll be sitting in Federici’s or I’ll drive through on my own. I still do all the time. I’m watching you, I guess. It’s been wonderful having this town at the center of my art and my life, and I look forward to doing that till they put me in a box.”

The rhythm of Springsteen, Freehold and “My Hometown” is more vibrant than ever.

“It’s a pleasure to have him as our superstar,” DiBenedetto said. “I’m glad he can get out more and enjoy the town.” 

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Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at [email protected].

Taylor Swift, Morgan Wallen, Bruce Springsteen among StubHub’s top in-demand artists of summer 2024

A s summer is kicking off, StubHub has released its annual Summer Tour Preview which includes a list of the most in-demand events, trends and more for the summer of 2024.

Read more trending news

“This summer, live concerts have become a global phenomenon,” StubHub said in a news release.

More people from the United States are traveling to around 53 countries this year surrounding concerts and events, StubHub said.

Interest in seeing a concert has soared this year and fans from 195 countries have purchased tickets on StubHub this year, according to The Today Show . That is about a 30% increase since the summer of 2023.

“The global reach of live music is the widest we’ve seen in any given summer season on StubHub, with ticket buyers coming from 195 countries,” said Adam Budelli, spokesperson for StubHub. “Americans traveling to international concerts and festivals is up threefold over last summer, while we’re also seeing 42% growth in the number of international fans coming to the U.S.”

Here are the top in-demand artists and how many shows they have this summer, according to StubHub:

• Taylor Swift (37 events)
• Coldplay (25 events)
• The Rolling Stones (13 events)
• Zach Bryan (31 events)
• Olivia Rodrigo (33 events)
• Morgan Wallen (20 events)
• Bruce Springsteen (23 events)
• Foo Fighters (20 events)
• Chris Stapleton (23 events)
• P!nk (23 events)

This is the fourth time that Taylor Swift has made StubHub’s list at No. 1, according to The Today Show.